Nairobi, KENYA: A lobby group by the name Central for Rights, Education and Awareness ( CREAW) has vowed to take any civil action that is available in law to ensure that the rights of vulnerable mothers at the Kenyatta National Hospital are not infringed again.

The women who were demonstrating and picketing in Nairobi on Monday following the allegations of sexual violence reported to be secretly carried out by mortuary attendants in the hospital, expressed their disappointment on the hospital administration when it casually made a statement that purports to imply that because no survivor of such alleged abuse came out to report, therefore the acts complained are not valid.

Addressing the media while presenting their petition to the Office of Inspector General of Police which was received by police spokesman Charles Owino, the group leader Mercy Jelimo alluded that KNH should have in place systems and structures that protect vulnerable patients and that responds to expeditiously to any acts or omissions that breach the duty of care.

“Kenyatta National Hospital is an institution in a position of authority and trust and therefore owes a duty of care to its patients. It therefore follows that the administration should have in place systems and structures that protect vulnerable patients and that responds expeditiously to any acts or omission that breach the duty of care,” Said Jelimo.

She added that it is a demeaning and horrifying testimony that Kenya is ill-equipped as a nation to prevent and to respond to sexual violence and the recent shocking allegations of nursing mothers being allegedly sexually abused.

“We have continued to witness in shock and horror as women and girls have been repeatedly abused, maimed for life and even succumbed to injuries sustained as a result of sexual abuse. These cases continue to be notoriously covered in our press with more never seeing the light of the day because survivors fear reprisal from their attackers and the stigma that comes with being a survivor of sexual violence.” She added.